Fuel distribution network

ABSTRACT

A method for using a fuel distribution network. The method including receiving a fuel reservation request (FRR) from a fuel network user interface module (FNUIM), obtaining a physical location of the FNUIM, determining a user associated with the FRR, and obtaining a list of fuel stations using the physical location and information associated with the user. The method further includes sending, to FNUIM, a list of fuel stations, receiving, from the FNUIM, a selection request specifying a fuel station from the list of fuel stations and a fuel reservation amount specifying an amount of fuel, sending a backend service provider (BSP) reservation request to the fuel station, where the BSP reservation request comprises the fuel reservation amount, and sending a confirmation message comprising a reservation expiration time to the FNUIM.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims benefit under 35 U.S.C.§120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/885,119 filed on Sep. 17,2010. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/885,119 is incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

In an attempt to lower carbon emissions and make more fuel efficientvehicles, car manufactures have developed hybrid vehicles, electricvehicles, and vehicles that run on other types of alternative fuels,such as hydrogen or compressed natural gas (CNG).

Unfortunately, the widespread adoption of such vehicles has beenhampered by the lack of fueling infrastructure. Specifically, there is alack of fueling stations that can service hybrid vehicles, electricvehicles, and vehicles that run on other types of alternative fuels.

As a result owners of hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and vehiclesthat run on other types of alternative fuels are required to purchasetheir own fuel station to fuel their vehicle. In addition, because theowner only has access to their own fuel station, the furthest distancethe owner may travel from the fuel station in their vehicle is limitedto the fuel storage capacity of the vehicle.

SUMMARY

In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a computer readablemedium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein forcausing a computer system to perform a method, the method comprisingreceiving a fuel reservation request (FRR) from a fuel network userinterface module (FNUIM), obtaining a physical location of the FNUIM,determining a user associated with the FRR, obtaining a list of fuelstations using the physical location and information associated with theuser, sending, to FNUIM, a list of fuel stations, receiving, from theFNUIM, a selection request specifying a fuel station from the list offuel stations and a fuel reservation amount specifying an amount offuel, sending a backend service provider (BSP) reservation request tothe fuel station, wherein the BSP reservation request comprises the fuelreservation amount, and sending a confirmation message comprising areservation expiration time to the FNUIM.

In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a fuel network userinterface module (FNUIM), comprising a processor, a user interface, amemory, and software instructions stored in memory, which when executedby the processor, perform a method, the method comprising: generating afuel reservation request (FRR), wherein the FRR specifies a vehicle,sending the FRR to a backend service provider (BSP), receiving a list offuel stations from the BSP, displaying the list of fuel stations on theuser interface, generating a selection request specifying a fuel stationfrom the list of fuel stations and a fuel reservation amount specifyingan amount of fuel, sending the selection request to the BSP, andreceiving, from the BSP, a confirmation message comprising a reservationexpiration time.

In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a fuel stationcomprising a fuel storage unit configured to store fuel, a fuel outputconnection operatively connected to the fuel storage unit and configuredto interface with a vehicle to enable transfer of the fuel from the fuelstorage unit to the vehicle, a fuel station control module comprising, aprocessor, a memory, and software instructions stored in memory, whichwhen executed by the processor, perform a method, the method comprisingreceiving a backend service provider (BSP) reservation request, whereinthe BSP reservation request comprises a user ID, a fuel reservationamount specifying an amount of fuel and a reservation expiration time,wherein the amount of fuel is reserved for a user associated with theuser ID at the fuel station until expiration of the reservationexpiration time, storing, in response to the BSP reservation request, afuel reservation record comprising the user ID, the fuel reservationamount, and the reservation expiration time, prior to expiration of thereservation expiration time: receiving a request to access the fuelstation from the user associated with the user ID, authenticating theuser, obtaining, after successful authentication, the fuel reservationrecord using the user ID, granting access to the fuel output connection,and enabling the user to transfer up to the amount of fuel specified inthe fuel reservation amount to the vehicle using the fuel outputconnection.

Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1, 2A-2C, 3A-3B, and 4 show schematic diagrams in accordance withone or more embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 5-6 show data structures in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 7A-7B, 8, 9A-9B, and 10-12 show flowcharts in accordance with oneor more embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 13A-13H shows an example in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in detailwith reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the variousfigures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency.

In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a morethorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well-known featureshave not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicatingthe description.

In general, embodiments of the invention relate to a fuel distributionnetwork. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to afuel distribution network that allows a user to remotely locate fuelstations, reserve fuel in advance, and then obtain the reserved fuel atthe specified fuel station. Further, embodiments of the invention relateto a fuel distribution network facilitated by a virtual privateinfrastructure and promoted through social media, including but notlimited to social networking, web presence, and texting.

FIG. 1 shows a fuel distribution network in accordance with embodimentsof the invention. The system includes one or more backend serviceproviders (BSPs) (100), one or more fuel stations (FSs) (102), and oneor more Fuel Network User Interface Module(s) (FNUIMs) (104).

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the BSPs (100) areconfigured to manage the fuel distribution network including managingthe FSs and the FNUIMs (104). The BSPs (100) are described in moredetail in FIGS. 4 7B, 8, 9A, 9B, and 11.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the FSs (102) areconfigured to generate, store, and dispense fuel. The FSs (102) aredescribed in more detail in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 5, 7A, 7B, 11, and 12.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the FNUIMs (104) areconfigured to allow a user to locate a FS, reserve fuel, pay for fuel,receive evidence of payment, and access the FS. The FNUIMs (104) aredescribed in more detail in FIGS. 2A-2C, 6, 10, and 12.

FIGS. 2A-2C show FNUIMs in accordance with one or more embodiments ofthe invention. Referring to FIG. 2A, the FNUIM (200) includes a display(202), a user interface (204), a processor (206), memory (208),persistent storage (210), and one or more communication interfaces(212). Each of these components is described below.

In one embodiment of the invention, the display (202) corresponds to anyinterface configured to output images to a user. In one or moreembodiments of the invention, the display (202) may be implemented usingliquid-crystal display (LCD) technology, organic light-emitting diode(OLED) technology, LED technology, or any other technology capable ofoutputting images to a user.

In one embodiment of the invention, the user interface (204) correspondsto any interface through which a user may provide input to the FNUIM(200). Examples of user interfaces include, but are not limited to akeypad, a keyboard, a capacitive touch screen, a track ball, one or morephysical buttons, and a virtual keyboard. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that in certain embodiments of the invention, the display andthe user interface may be implemented as a single unit, for example, asa capacitive touch screen.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the processor (206) is anymicroprocessor or integrated circuit configured to execute softwareinstructions stored in the memory (208) and/or persistent storage (210).Further, the FNUIM (200) may include multiple processors.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the memory (208) is anyvolatile non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured tostore data and software instructions, which, when executed by theprocessor, enable the FNUIM to perform various functions as describedabove and below. Examples of memory (208) include, but are not limitedto random access memory (RAM) and cache memory.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the persistent storage(210) is any non-volatile non-transitory computer readable storagemedium configured to store data and software instructions, which, whenexecuted by the processor, enable the FNUIM to perform various functionsas described above and below. Examples of persistent storage (210)include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage, NOR-type flashmemory, and NAND-type flash memory. Though not shown in FIG. 2A, theFNUIM may use persistent storage located in a location remote to theFNUIM, e.g., cloud storage, etc. Further, the FNUIM may use persistentstorage located in a smartcard operatively connected to the FNUIM.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the communicationinterface(s) (212) correspond to any user interface that enables theFNUIM (200) to communicate with one or more external systems. Examplesof the external systems include, but are not limited to, a vehicle(216), a positioning system (214), a FS (102 in FIG. 1) and a BSP (100in FIG. 1). Examples of communication interfaces include, but are notlimited to, an antenna, a serial port, a parallel port, a universalserial bus (USB) interface, any type of wired or wireless networkinterface connection, and a Bluetooth® interface (Bluetooth is aregistered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.). Further, in one or moreembodiments of the invention, the communication interface(s) (212) mayalso support Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications, 3G and/or 4Gstandards for mobile phone communication, and any other futuretelecommunication standards.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the positioning system(214) includes functionality to obtain the physical location of theFNUIM (200). The positioning system (214) may be configured to use oneor more mechanisms to obtain the physical location of the FNUIM (200).For example, the positioning system (214) may use cellular towertriangulation (i.e., analysis of signals received at three or morecellular towers from a cellular device), cellular tower proximity (i.e.,analysis of the strength of a signal received at a single cellulartower), Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, network access pointproximity (e.g., analysis of a signal received at a wireless networkaccess point), inertial navigation, other mechanisms for determining thephysical location of the FNIUM (200), or any combination thereof.

In one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle (216) corresponds to anyvehicle, including but not limited to, hybrid vehicles, electricvehicles, or vehicles that run on other types of alternative fuels, suchas hydrogen or compressed natural gas (CNG).

In one embodiment of the invention, the fuel information (218) mayinclude, but is not limited to, one or more of the following: (i)information about the type of fuel(s) the vehicle may use, (ii) theamount of each type of fuel the vehicle may store, (iii) the amount ofeach type of fuel currently stored in the vehicle, and (iv) the rate atwhich each type of fuel is used by the vehicle.

In one embodiment of the invention, the fuel information (218) may becommunicated from the vehicle (216) to the FNUIM (200) using a vehiclecommunication interface (220). The vehicle communication interface (220)includes any wired or wireless interface that enables the vehicle (216)to communicate with one or more external systems, such as the FNUIM(200).

In one embodiment of the invention, the FNUIM (200) shown in 2A may be asmart phone or another device with the components shown in FIG. 2A. Inone embodiment of the invention, the FNUIM (200) may not interface withthe vehicle communication interface (220); rather, the FNUIM (200) mayfunction without information from the vehicle. Accordingly, the FNUIM(200) may be implemented using mobile devices (e.g., phones, tabletcomputing devices, laptops) and web-connected interfaces (desktop,laptops, web-enabled televisions, and other such systems).

Referring to FIG. 2B, the FNUIM (222) includes the same components asthe FNUIM (200) in FIG. 2A. Further, the FNUIM (222) includes apositioning system module (224), which includes the same functionalityas the positioning system (214) described in FIG. 2A. In one embodimentof the invention, the FNUIM (222) shown in 2B may be a smart phone oranother device with the components shown in FIG. 2B. In one embodimentof the invention, the FNUIM (200) may not interface with the vehiclecommunication interface (220); rather, the FNUIM (200) may functionwithout information from the vehicle. Accordingly, the FNUIM (200) maybe implemented using mobile devices (e.g., phones, tablet computingdevices, laptops) and web-connected interfaces (desktop, laptops,web-enabled televisions, and other such systems).

Referring to FIG. 2C, the FNUIM (228) is integrated into the vehicle(226). The FNUIM (228) includes the same components as the FNUIM (222)in FIG. 2B. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that thepositioning system module (224) shown in FIG. 2C may be integrateddirectly with the vehicle (226) and interface with the FNUIM (228)instead of being integrated into the FNUIM (228) as shown in FIG. 2C.

The FNUIM is not limited to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A-2C above.

FIG. 3A shows a fuel station (FS) (300) in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the invention. The FS (300) includes a FS control module(302), one or more fuel input meters (304), one or more fuel stationsensors (306), one or more fuel output meters (308), one or more fuelinput connections (310), one or more fuel storage units (316, 320), oneor more fuel output connections (314), one or more fuel storage unitsensors (318), and optionally, one or more fuel generation units (312).Each of these components is described below.

In one embodiment of the invention, the FS (300) is encased in aprotective box or shell such that unauthorized users may not access thefuel stored in the FS (300) or access components of the FS (300)necessary to access the fuel stored in the FS (300). The protective boxor shell may be made out of any suitable material such as metal, metalalloys, plastic, a composite material, or any combination thereof.Further, though not shown, access to the various FS components may beachieved by successfully unlocking the protective box or shell. In oneembodiment of the invention, the protective box or shell may be unlockedby successfully authenticating the user of the FNUIM (104 in FIG. 1) tothe BSP (100 in FIG. 1).

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the FS control module (302)is configured to control the FS (300) (see FIG. 3B). More specifically,the FS control module includes functionality to (i) monitor the FS (300)using the various meters (304, 308) and various sensors (306) in the FS(300); (ii) communicate the information obtained in (i) to the BSP (100in FIG. 1); (iii) enable a user to reserve fuel; and (iv) unlock theprotective box or shell surrounding the FS (300) in order to enable auser to access the fuel stored in the FS (300) or to perform maintenanceon the FS.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the fuel input meters (304)correspond to meters configured to track the amount of fuel input intothe FS (300). Each type of fuel may be tracked using a separate fuelinput meter. Examples of input meters include, but not limited to, aninput meter to track the amount of CNG input into the FS, and an inputmeter to track the amount of electricity input into the FS. In one ormore embodiments of the invention, the fuel input meters may alsoinclude functionality to determine the initial amount of fuel in the FS,e.g., at the time the FS is initially configured and/or deployed.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the fuel station sensors(306) are configured to monitor the environmental conditions of the FS(300) (or components located therein). Examples of the fuel stationsensors include, but are not limited to, temperature sensors, moisturesensors, pressure sensors, and door-open sensors used to monitor whenthe protective box or shell is unlocked. Further, the fuel stationsensors (306) may include video and audio surveillance equipment used tomonitor the FS.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the fuel output meters(308) are configured to track the amount of fuel output from the FS(300). Each type of fuel may be tracked using a separate fuel outputmeter. Examples of output meters include, but are not limited to, anoutput meter to track the amount of CNG output from the FS, an outputmeter to track the amount of hydrogen gas output from the FS, and anoutput meter to track the amount of electricity output from the FS.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the fuel input connections(310) correspond to the physical interfaces required to transfer fuelfrom an external source into the FS. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the particular type of fuel input connection variesdepending on the type of fuel being input. Examples of fuel inputconnections include, but are not limited to, electrical connections anda hose.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the fuel storage units(316, 320) correspond to containers and/or devices used to store fuel,where such containers and/or devices may be modular and/or extendable.Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the particular type offuel storage unit varies depending on the type of fuel being stored.Examples of fuel storage units include, but are not limited to, CNGcanisters, hydrogen gas canisters, and batteries. In one or moreembodiments of the invention, one or more fuel storage units may belocated externally from the FS. For example, a fuel storage unit may belocated under ground, below the location of the FS.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the fuel output connections(314) correspond to the physical interfaces required to transfer fuelfrom the FS to an external source, e.g., a vehicle. Those skilled in theart will appreciate that the particular type of fuel output connectionvaries depending on the type of fuel being output. Examples of fueloutput connections include, but are not limited to, electricalconnections and a hose.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the fuel storage unitsensors (318) monitor the environmental conditions of the fuel storageunits located externally from the FS. Examples of fuel storage unitsensors include, but are not limited to, temperature sensors, moisturesensors, pressure sensors, and fuel storage unit open sensors configuredto monitor when a particular fuel storage unit (320) is being accessed.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the fuel generation units(312) are configured to generate fuel to be stored in the fuel storageunits (316, 320). Examples of fuel generation units include, but are notlimited to, electrolysis device to separate Hydrogen from water, a gasreformer to generate hydrogen, and a generator configured to usehydrogen to generate electricity.

FIG. 3B shows a FS control module (300) in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the invention. The FS control module (300) includes adisplay (322), a user interface (324), a processor (326), memory (328),persistent storage (330), and one or more communication interfaces(332). Each of these components is described below.

In one embodiment of the invention, the display (322) corresponds to anyinterface configured to output images to a user. In one or moreembodiments of the invention, the display (322) may be implemented usingLCD technology, OLED technology, LED technology, or any other technologycapable of outputting images to a user. In one embodiment of theinvention, the user may be able to view the display (322) prior tosuccessful authentication of the user.

In one embodiment of the invention, the user interface (324) correspondsto any interface through which a user may provide input to the FScontrol module (300). Examples of user interfaces include, but are notlimited to a keypad, a keyboard, a capacitive touch screen, a trackball, one or more physical buttons, and a virtual keyboard. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that in certain embodiments of theinvention, the display and the user interface may be implemented as asingle unit, for example, as a capacitive touch screen. In oneembodiment of the invention, the user may be able to use the userinterface (324) prior to input information necessary to authenticate theuser.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the processor (326) is anymicroprocessor or integrated circuit configured to execute softwareinstructions stored in the memory (328) and/or persistent storage (330).Further, the FS control module (300) may include multiple processors.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the memory (328) is anyvolatile non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured tostore data and software instructions, which, when executed by theprocessor, enable the FS control module to perform various functions asdescribed above and below. Examples of memory (328) include, but are notlimited to RAM and cache memory.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the persistent storage(330) is any non-volatile non-transitory computer readable storagemedium configured to store data and software instructions, which, whenexecuted by the processor, enable the FS control module to performvarious functions as described above and below. Examples of persistentstorage (330) include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage,NOR-type flash memory, and NAND-type flash memory. Though not shown inFIG. 3B, the FS control module may use persistent storage located in alocation remote to the FS, e.g., cloud storage, etc.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the communicationinterface(s) (332) correspond to any user interface that enables the FScontrol module to communicate with sensors and meters in the FS (300) aswell as external systems. Examples of the external systems include, butnot limited to, a FNUIM (104 in FIG. 1) and a BSP (100 in FIG. 1).Examples of communication interfaces include, but are not limited to, anantenna, a serial port, a parallel port, USB interface, any type ofwired or wireless network interface connection, and a Bluetooth®interface. Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, thecommunication interface(s) (332) may also support GSM communications, 3Gand/or 4G standards for mobile phone communication, and any other futuretelecommunication standards.

FIG. 4 shows a backend service provider (BSP) in accordance with one ormore embodiments of the invention. The BSP (400) is configured tointerface with the FNUIMs (104 in FIG. 1) and the FS s (102 in FIG. 1).

The BSP (400) includes a display (402), a user interface (404), aprocessor (406), memory (408), persistent storage (410), and one or morecommunication interfaces (412). Each of these components is describedbelow.

In one embodiment of the invention, the display (402) corresponds to anyinterface configured to output images to a user of the BSP. In one ormore embodiments of the invention, the display (402) may be implementedusing LCD technology, OLED technology, LED technology, or any othertechnology capable of outputting images to a user. In one embodiment ofthe invention, the user may be able to view the display (402) prior tosuccessful authentication of the user.

In one embodiment of the invention, the user interface (404) correspondsto any interface through which a user may provide input to the BSP(400). Examples of user interfaces include, but are not limited to akeypad, a keyboard, a capacitive touch screen, a track ball, one or morephysical buttons, and a virtual keyboard. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that in certain embodiments of the invention, the display andthe user interface may be implemented as a single unit, for example, asa capacitive touch screen.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the processor (406) is anymicroprocessor or integrated circuit configured to execute softwareinstructions stored in the memory (408) and/or persistent storage (410).Further, the BSP (400) may include multiple processors.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the memory (408) is anyvolatile non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured tostore data and software instructions, which when executed by theprocessor enable the BSP to perform various functions as described aboveand below. Examples of memory (408) include, but are not limited to RAMand cache memory.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the persistent storage(410) is any non-volatile non-transitory computer readable storagemedium configured to store data and software instructions, which whenexecuted by the processor enable the BSP to perform various functions asdescribed above and below. Examples of persistent storage (410) include,but are not limited to, magnetic storage, NOR-type flash memory, andNAND-type flash memory. Though not shown in FIG. 4, the BSP may usepersistent storage located in a location remote to the BSP, e.g., cloudstorage, etc.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the communicationinterface(s) (412) correspond to any user interface that enables the BSPto communicate with external systems. Examples of the external systemsinclude, but are not limited to, a FNUIM (104 in FIG. 1) and a FS (102in FIG. 1). Examples of communication interfaces include, but are notlimited to, an antenna, a serial port, a parallel port, a USB interface,any type of wired or wireless network interface connection, and aBluetooth® interface. Further, in one or more embodiments of theinvention, the communication interface(s) (332) may also support GSMcommunications, 3G and/or 4G standards for mobile phone communication,and any other future telecommunication standards.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the BSP includesfunctionality to remotely control the FSs and/or FNUIMs. Theinstructions issued from the BSP to remotely control the FSs and/orFNUIMs may be communicated over the aforementioned communicationinterfaces.

FIG. 5 shows a fuel station record (FSR) (500) in accordance with one ormore embodiments of the invention. The FSR (500) may be stored in one ormore BSPs (100 in FIG. 1). Further, the FSR (500) may be stored in oneor more FSs (102 in FIG. 1) in such cases the FSR stored on the FNUIM isreferred to as a local FSR. The FSR (500) includes information about aparticular FS.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the FSR (500) includes FSidentification information (502), FS location information (504), FSconfiguration information (506), FS activity information (514), and FSfuel information (516). Each of these components is discussed below.Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the FSR (500) may includeother information not shown in FIG. 5.

In one embodiment of the invention, the FS identification information(502) includes information used to uniquely identify the FS (502) withwhich the FSR (500) is associated. For example, the FS identificationinformation may include, but is not limited to, the serial number of theFS assigned by the manufacturer of the FS, the name of the manufacturer,and a unique identifier assigned to the FS by the BSP.

In one embodiment of the invention, the FS location information (504)includes information about the physical location of the FS such as theaddress of the physical location of the FS and/or the GPS coordinates ofthe FS.

In one embodiment of the invention, the FS configuration information(506) includes information related to the various configuration settingsfor the FS. In one embodiment of the invention, the FS configurationinformation includes the FS participation settings (508), FS updatingsettings (510), and FS communication settings (512).

In one embodiment of the invention, the FS participation settings (508)define which users, group(s) of users, or a combination thereof, who mayaccess the FS. For example, the FS may be part of a co-ownership of FSs,e.g., all home owners in a gated community, where only members of theco-ownership may obtain fuel from the FS. In another example, the FS maybe a public FS, such that any user may obtain fuel from the FS. In yetanother example, the FS may be a private FS, such that only the owner ofthe FS and users approved by the owner may obtain fuel from the FS. Inone embodiment of the FS participation settings (508) may change overtime.

In one embodiment of the invention, the FS update settings (510) specifyhow status information about the FS (e.g., FS activity notificationsgenerated using the FS activity information (514), and FS FuelInformation (516)) is transmitted to the BSP. In one embodiment of theinvention, status information is only sent when new activity is recordedin the FS activity information. In another embodiment of the invention,the frequency at which status information is sent to the BSP is directlyproportional to the average activity of the FS. The activity of the FScorresponds to fuel reservation, accessing the FS, fueling, and otherevents that generate entries in the FS activity information (discussedbelow). In this embodiment, the frequency may change over time based onchanges in the average activity of the FS. Further, in the laterembodiment status information may be sent to the BSP even when there areno new entries in the FS activity information.

In one embodiment of the invention, the FS communication settings (512)include information necessary to enable communication between the FS andthe BSP (100 in FIG. 1) and, optionally, FNUIMs. Examples ofcommunication settings include IP address configuration, configurationnecessary from the FS to communicate over a GSM, 3G and/or 4G network,and/or any other type of configuration settings required to enablecommunication between the FS and the BSP.

In one embodiment of the invention, the FS activity information (514)includes entries corresponding to activity that occurred at/in the FS.Examples of activity include, but are not limited to, fueling,reservation of fuel, generation of fuel, reading of meters, reading ofsensors, notification of unauthorized access to the FS, notification ofdamage to the FS, and notification of attempted unauthorized access tothe FS.

In one embodiment of the invention, the FS fuel information (516)includes information about each type of fuel in the FS. Morespecifically, in one embodiment of the invention, the FS fuelinformation (516) includes fuel reservation information (518), and fuelamount information (520).

In one embodiment of the invention, the fuel reservation information(518) specifies the amount of each type of fuel in the FS that isreserved. More specifically, in one or more embodiments of theinvention, the fuel reservation information (518) may includeinformation about which user reserved which type and what amount offuel.

In one embodiment of the invention, the fuel amount information (520)includes information about the total amount of each type of fuel thatmay be stored in the FS, the rate at which a given type of fuel is beinggenerated in the FS, and the amount of each type of fuel currentlyavailable in the FS. In one embodiment of the invention, the amount offuel currently available in the FS is determined using the total amountof the type of fuel currently stored in the FS less the amount of thetype of fuel currently reserved.

FIG. 6 shows a user record (UR) (600) in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the invention. The UR (600) may be stored in one or moreBSPs (100 in FIG. 1). Further, the UR (500) may be stored in one or moreFNUIMs (104 in FIG. 1). Regardless of where the UR is stored, the UR isaccessible (directly or indirectly) to the FNUIMs, the FSs, and the BSPsin the fuel distribution network.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the UR (600) includes useridentification information (602), user billing information (604), uservehicle information (606), user activity information (608), and useraffiliations (612). Each of these components is described below.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the user identificationinformation (602) identifies the user. Examples of user identificationinformation include, but are not limited to, a first name of the user, alast name of the user, a social security number of the user, a user IDnumber issued on another form of government ID, biometric information ofthe user, and/or a user ID assigned to the user by the BSP (or generatedby the user).

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the user billinginformation (604) includes information about how to bill the particularuser for the fuel obtained by the user. The user billing information(604) may include, for example, a billing address, a preferred form ofpayment for the user, credit card information of the user, bank accountinformation of the user, and/or any other information necessary to billthe user.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the user vehicleinformation (606) includes information about each vehicle associatedwith the user. For each vehicle, the user vehicle information mayinclude, but is not limited to, the vehicle identification number (VIN),the make of the vehicle, the model of the vehicle, year of the vehicle,fuel type(s) used by the vehicle, and fuel storage capacity of thevehicle (on a per-fuel type basis).

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the user activityinformation (608) includes entries related to user activity as relatedto the fuel distribution network including, but not limited to, fuelreservations, fueling, cancelled fuel reservations, attempted access toFSs, and bill receipt and payment.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the user affiliations (612)specify to which groups, if any, the user belongs, and/or which fuelstation(s) the user is authorized to access. For example, if the user isassociated with a particular co-ownership, then the user affiliations(612) may include the name (or other identifying information) of theco-ownership. Further, if a particular owner of a FS (or group of FSs)has authorized the user to access his FS (or group of FSs), then theuser affiliations (612) may also include the fuel station identificationinformation of the particular FS (or group of FSs) that the owner hasallowed the user to access.

FIGS. 7-12 show flowcharts in accordance with one or more embodiments ofthe invention. While the various steps in these flowcharts are presentedand described sequentially, one of ordinary skill will appreciate thatsome or all of the steps may be executed in different orders, may becombined or omitted, and some or all of the steps may be executed inparallel. Further, one or more of the methods described in theflowcharts may be performed in parallel.

FIG. 7A shows a flowchart for setting up a fuel station in accordancewith one or more embodiments of the invention. More specifically, FIG.7A shows a method for populating a fuel station record (FSR). Oncepopulated, the FS is part of the fuel distribution network andaccessible to users in accordance with one or more embodiments of theinvention. The flowchart shown in FIG. 7A may be performed by the FS andthe corresponding FSR may be communicated to the BSP. In anotherembodiment of the invention, the BSP may populate the FSR during a FSconfiguration process, which occurs after the FS is deployed andconnected, e.g., over a network (wired or wireless), to the BSP. Inaddition, the FSR generated/populated in FIG. 7A may be stored at theBSP and the corresponding FS. In such cases, the FSR stored at the FS isdesignated as the local FSR.

Turning to FIG. 7A, in Step 700, the FS identification information isobtained. The FS identification information may be obtained from theowner of the FS. In Step 702, the FS location information is obtained.The FS location may be obtained from the owner of the FS, obtainedanother individual with FS location information, using a GPS (or otherpositioning technology), using any other method or technology fordetermining the physical location of the FS, or any combination thereof.

In Step 704, the FS participating settings are set. In one embodiment ofthe invention, setting the FS participating settings may include usinginformation provided by the owner of the FS (or another individual)about which users or group(s) of users may access the fuel station. InStep 706, the FS update settings are set. In one embodiment of theinvention, the FS update settings based on a default setting, apreference of the owner of the FS, a preference of the BSP, or anycombination thereof.

In Step 708, the fuel station communication settings are set. In one ormore embodiments of the invention in which the FS is remotelyprovisioned, Step 708 is performed prior to Step 700 or soon after Step700. In such cases, Step 708 is performed at an initial (or early) stagein order to establish a connection with the BSP. Once the connection isestablished, the BSP may remotely configure the FS. In Step 710, theinitial FS fuel information is obtained. In one embodiment of theinvention, the FS fuel information is obtained by taking initialreadings of the fuel input meters. In another embodiment of theinvention, at least a portion of the initial FS fuel information ismanually input by the individual configuring the FS.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the content of the FSR maychange over time based on updated information provided by the FS, theBSP, the owner of the FS and/or other individuals.

FIG. 7B shows a flowchart for receiving a fuel station activitynotification from a fuel station by a BSP. More specifically, the FSactivity notifications correspond to notifications generated by the FSbased on entries in the FS activity information. Further, FS activitynotifications may also be sent at various internals (as discussed above)to the BSP. In such cases, there may be no new entries in the FSactivity information.; however, the FS may automatically generate a FSactivity notification that includes the current status of the FS.

Turning to FIG. 7B, in Step 712, a FS activity notification is received.Optionally, in Step 714, the FS fuel information in the FSR located onthe BSP is updated using the information in the FS activitynotification. For example, the FS activity notification may indicatethat a user successfully completed fueling at the FS and, as such, thecorresponding FSR is updated to reflect this event. In another example,the FS activity notification may indicate that a certain amount of fuelhas been input into the FS and/or generated in the FS. In such cases thecorresponding FSR is updated to reflect this/these events.

Optionally, in Step 716, the FS update settings are updated based on theFS activity notification. For example, if the FS is configured to sendactivity notifications based on the average activity of the FS, thenover time, the frequency at which activity notifications are receivedmay be altered based on the more recent activity of the FS. For example,if, over time, the FS becomes less active, then the frequency of theactivity notifications may decrease over time.

In Step 718, the FS activity information in the corresponding FSR in theBSP is updated with information from the FS activity notifications.Optionally, in Step 720, an alert is issued based on the FS activitynotification. For example, if the FS activity notification indicates adangerous (or potentially dangerous) environmental condition at the FS,that the FS has been tampered with, and/or that the FS is not workingwithin normal operating conditions, then an alert may be issued to therelevant individual(s) to notify them of this development. Further, theBSP may also issue a command to the FS to place the FS in maintenancemode or in shut-down mode.

In one embodiment of the invention, when the FS is in maintenance mode,the FS may still be remotely accessible to the BSP; however, users maynot be able to obtain fuel from the FS until the FS is placed back intoactive mode. The FS may be remotely placed back into an active mode oncethe issue that triggered the mode change is addressed. For example, abroken part on the FS may be fixed or the sensor reading that triggeredthe mode change returned to a normal operating range. In one embodimentof the invention, when the FS is in shut-down mode, the FS is shut OFFand is not remotely accessible to the BSP. Once the FS is repaired, theFS may be returned to active mode. The shut-down mode is used to addresssituations when maintaining power to the FS is unsafe.

FIG. 8 shows a flowchart for setting up a user record in accordance withone or more embodiments of the invention. In Step 800, the useridentification is obtained. In one or more embodiments of the invention,the user identification information may be obtained from the user, fromanother individual, generated by the BSP, or any combination thereof.

In Step 802, the user billing information is obtained. In one or moreembodiments of the invention, the user billing information may beobtained by the user, from another individual, or a combination thereof.In Step 804, the user vehicle information is obtained for each uservehicle that can use fuel supplied by one or more of the fuel stations.For example, the user vehicles may include a hybrid vehicle and anelectric car.

In Step 806, the user fueling affiliations are obtained. In one or moreembodiments of the invention, the user fueling affiliations may beobtained from the user, from another individual, or any combinationthereof.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the content of the userrecord may change over time based on updated information provided by theuser, the BSP, and/or other individuals.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show a flowchart for reserving fuel from the perspectiveof the BSP in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention.In Step 900, a fuel reservation request (FRR) is received from theFNUIM. The FRR may be generated by a user of the FNUIM, automaticallygenerated by the FNUIM when the FNUIM (or more specifically a particularapplication on the FNUIM) is initiated, and/or automatically by theFNUIM based on the fuel information obtained from the vehicle.

In Step 902, the physical location of the FNIUM that sent the FRR isobtained. The physical location may be obtained using informationprovided in the FRR such as an address, GPS coordinates, other locationinformation, etc. In Step 904, the user associated with the FRR isdetermined. The user may be identified based on, for example, a user ID(or other identifying information of the user) in the FRR.

In Step 906, the user fueling affiliations (UFA) are determined based onthe identity of the user obtained in Step 904. For example, the UFA aredetermined by using the identity of the user to locate the correspondinguser record on the BSP, where the user record includes information aboutthe UFA. Alternatively, the UFA may be obtained from the FRR. In anotheralternative, Step 906 is not performed on the BSP; rather, Step 906 isperformed as part of Step 1004 in FIG. 10.

In Step 908, the list of fuel stations is obtained by the BSP based onthe physical location. In one embodiment of the invention, the BSP mayidentify all fuel stations within a defined distance from the physicallocation of the FNUIM. The defined distance may be set on a per-userbasis, on a per-group of users basis, or may be the same for all users.In another embodiment of the invention, the FRR may include informationabout the defined distance. For example, the user may specify thedefined distance in the FNUIM. In another example, the defined distancemay be determined using fuel information about the remaining distancethe vehicle may travel on the amount of fuel remaining in the vehicle.In one embodiment of the invention, the defined distance is a of 5 miles

In Step 910, the list of fuel stations is sent to the FNUIM. The list offuel stations may include information about each fuel station including,but not limited to, the physical location of the fuel station, the priceper unit of each type of fuel at the fuel station, the amount of eachtype of fuel available at the fuel station, the other services offeredat the fuel station, the user or group of users that may access the fuelstation, and the status of the fuel station (e.g., active, shut-downmode, maintenance mode).

In addition, the BSP may also obtain and send advertisements to displayon the FNUIM (see FIGS. 13A-13H), where the advertisements are based onthe physical location of the FNUIM and/or the user of the FNUIM. In Step912, the BSP receives a selection request from the FNIUM that specifiesthe fuel station from the list of fuel stations and the fuel reservationamount for a particular type of fuel.

In Step 914, a determination is made about whether the user is allowedto access the fuel station. In one embodiment of the invention, thisinformation is based on the UFA obtained in Step 906. If the user isallowed to access the fuel station, then the process proceeds to Step924; otherwise the process proceeds to Step 916.

In Step 916, a determination is made about whether the FRR is anemergency FRR (EFRR). In one embodiment of the invention, an EFFR isissued by the FNUIM when the user requires fuel but there are no FSswith which he is affiliated that he can reach based on the amount offuel remaining in the vehicle. If the FRR is an EFRR, then the processproceeds to Step 918; otherwise the process proceeds to Step 912.

In Step 918, a BSP emergency message (BSP-EM) is sent to the owner ofthe fuel station (or another authorized individual) to determinedwhether to grant the user access to the selected fuel station. In oneembodiment of the invention, the owner (or another authorizedindividual) is sent an electronic message (e.g., an email, a textmessage, etc.). In another embodiment of the invention, the owner (oranother authorized individual) is called via phone to request oralauthorization.

In Step 920, a response to the BSP-EM is received from the owner of thefuel station (or another authorized individual). In one embodiment ofthe invention, response is sent via electronic message (e.g., an email,a text message, etc.). In another embodiment of the invention, theresponse is provided via phone.

In Step 922, a determination is made about whether the user is allowedto access the fuel station. In one embodiment of the invention, thisinformation is based on the response obtained in Step 922. If the useris allowed to access the fuel station, then the process proceed to Step924; otherwise the process proceeds to Step 912.

In Step 924, a BSP reservation request (BSP-RR) is sent to the selectedfuel station. In one embodiment of the invention, the reservationrequest includes the amount of fuel requested, the total price of thefuel requested, and the reservation expiration time. In one embodimentof the invention, the reservation expiration time is calculated using(i) the driving distance from the physical location of the FNUIM and thephysical location of the selected fuel station and (ii) an amount ofadditional time to be added to (i). The amount of additional time is setsuch that the user has sufficient time to reach the fuel station takingin to account the possibility of traffic and other issues that mayincrease the amount of time it takes the user to travel to the selectedfuel station.

In one embodiment of the invention, the reservation expiration time is(i) +15 minutes. In another embodiment of the invention, the reservationexpiration time is (i)+(ii), where (ii) is determined based on thecurrent traffic conditions between the physical location of the user andthe physical location of the selected fuel station. In Step 926, aconfirmation message is sent to the FNUIM that includes the amount offuel requested, the price of the fuel requested, and the reservationexpiration time.

FIG. 10 shows a flowchart for reserving fuel from the perspective of theFNUIM in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. InStep 1000, a FRR is sent to the BSP. As discussed above, the FRR may begenerated by a user of the FNUIM, automatically generated by the FNUIMwhen the FNUIM (or more specifically a particular application on theFNUIM) is initiated, and/or automatically by the FNUIM based on the fuelinformation obtained from the vehicle. In Step 1002, a list of fuelstations (and associated information) is received from the BSP.

In Step 1004, the list of fuel stations is displayed on the FNUIM. Inone embodiment of the invention, each fuel station on the list of fuelstations is displayed on a map on the user interface, where each fuelstation is represented by an icon. In one embodiment of the invention,the color of the icon indicates information about the fuel station. Forexample, (i) if the fuel station has enough fuel (excluding the amountalready reserved) to fill the user's vehicles' fuel tank, then the iconis green; (ii) if the fuel station includes enough fuel (excluding theamount already reserved) to fill at least half of the user's vehicle'sfuel tank, then the icon is yellow; (iii) if the fuel station does notinclude enough fuel (excluding the amount already reserved) to fill atleast half of the user's vehicle's fuel tank, the user is not allowed toaccess the FS (e.g., because the user is not affiliated with the FS), orbecause the station is not in active mode, then the icon is red. Inaddition to the color of the icon, information such as the price of eachtype of fuel and other services offered at the fuel station may also bedisplayed on the user interface of the FNUIM. Those skilled in the artwill appreciate that the other color schemes may be used instead of theone described above without departing from the invention.

In Step 1006, the FNUIM sends a message including the selected fuelstation and a fuel reservation amount to the BSP. Optionally, in Step1008, the FNUIM may receive a denial of the request, for example, due tothe scenarios in Steps 914-922. In such cases, the process proceeds backto Step 1006 until such time as the FNUIM receives a response discussedin Step 1010. In Step 1010, the FNUIM receives a confirmation of thereservation as well as the reservation expiration time. In Step 1012,the FNUIM generates a route from the physical location of the FNUIM tothe selected fuel station.

FIG. 11 shows a flow chart for reserving fuel from the perspective ofthe FS in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. InStep 1100, the FS receives a BSP-RR from the BSP that includes thereservation expiration time and the fuel reservation amount. In Step1102, the FS sends a confirmation message to the BSP to indicate thatthe FS has received the BSP-RR. In Step 1104, the local FS fuelinformation is updated to reflect that fuel has been reserved. Theamount of fuel reserved corresponds to the amount of fuel in the BSP-RR.

In Step 1106, the reservation expiration timer is started. In Step 1108,a determination is made about whether there is time remaining to fulfillthe reservation. Said another way, a determination is made about whetherthe reservation expiration time has expired. If the reservationexpiration time has expired, the process proceeds to Step 1100;otherwise the process proceeds to Step 1116.

In Step 1110, if the reservation expiration time has expired then thereservation is cancelled. In one embodiment of the invention, cancellingthe reservation includes releasing the reserved fuel amount such thatanother user may reserve the fuel. In Step 1112, the BSP is notified ofthe cancellation.

Optionally, in Step 1114, the FNUIM from which the reservation wasinitiated is notified of the cancellation. The FS and/or the BSP maynotify the FNUIM of the cancellation. In one embodiment of theinvention, the FNUIM may be notified using an electronic message (e.g.,an email, a text message, etc.). After step 1114 the process ends.

In Step 1116, if the reservation expiration time has not expired then adetermination is made about whether the reservation has been completed.If the reservation has been completed, the process ends; otherwise, theprocess proceeds to Step 1118. In Step 1118, the process performing themethod shown in FIG. 11 temporarily sleeps/waits for a pre-determinedperiod of time and then proceeds to Step 1108.

In one embodiment of the invention, prior to the reservation timeexpiring the user, via the FNUIM, may request additional time to reachthe FS. In such cases, the reservation expiration time may be increasedto provide the user additional time to reach the FS. However, the usermay be limited to the amount of additional time that they may add to thereservation expiration time. Further, the user may be limited to thenumber of times he may request additional time for a given reservationand/or limited to the number of times he may request additional timeover multiple reservations (e.g., a user may only request additionaltime once out of every ten reservations).

FIG. 12 shows a flow chart for fueling from the perspective of the FS inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. In Step 1200,the user is authenticated by the BSP and/or FS. In one embodiment of theinvention, the user uses the FNUIM for authentication. In such cases,the user may enter a password, biometric information, otherauthentication information, or any combination thereof in to the FNUIM.The FNUIM, the BSP and/or the FS may authenticate the user. Onceauthenticated, the FS (if it did not perform the authentication) isinformed that the user is authenticated and the user is granted accessto the FS. In other embodiments of the invention, user may beauthenticated directly by the FS through the user interface, displayand/or a communication interface. For example, the user may use aradio-frequency identifier, a smartcard, universal serial bus (USB)token, or any combination thereof for authentication. In anotherembodiment of the invention, the FS may include a barcode reader andbarcode reader may be used to authenticate the user. For example, theuser may enter a PIN into to the FNUIM. The FNUIM and/or the BSP mayauthenticate the user based on the PIN. Once authenticated the FNUIM maypresent the barcode (e.g., a 1D barcode, a 2D barcode, etc.) on itsdisplay. The barcode reader on the FS may then reader the barcode fromthe FNUIM and grant access based on the content in the barcode.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a user who is a valid user(i.e., is registered in the BSP) but that does not have access to the FS(e.g., because the user is not allowed to access the FS) will not besuccessfully authenticated in Step 1200.

In Step 1202, upon successful authentication, the FS determines whetherthere is a fuel reservation record for the user at the FS. The FS maynot include a fuel reservation record for the user if (i) the user didnot reserve any fuel or if the user's fuel reservation has beencancelled. If there is a fuel reservation record for the user at the FS,then the process proceeds to Step 1204; otherwise the process proceedsto Step 1216. In Step 1204, the fuel reservation record for the user isobtained. In Step 1206, the total amount of fuel to dispense isdetermined from the information in the fuel reservation record. In Step1208, fuel is dispensed to the vehicle, where the amount of fuel islimited to the total amount of fuel determined in Step 1206.

In Step 1210, a determination is made about whether the dispensed fuelis equal to the amount of fuel that was specified in the fuelreservation record. If the dispensed fuel is equal to the amount of fuelthat was specified in the fuel reservation record, then the processproceeds to Step 1214; otherwise the process proceeds to step 1212. InStep 1212, the BSP is notified about the actual amount of fuel dispensedand that the reservation has been completed. This step may also includeupdating the local FS record. After this step stage the process ends. InStep 1214, the BSP is notified that the reservation has been completed.After this step stage the process ends.

In Step 1216, a determination is made about whether there is fuelavailable for the user. In one embodiment of the invention, availablefuel corresponds to fuel that is currently stored in the FS and that isnot currently reserved by another user. If there is fuel available forthe user, then the process proceeds to Step 1218; otherwise the processends. In Step 1218, fuel is dispensed to the vehicle, where the amountof fuel is limited to the total amount of fuel available to the user. InStep 1220, the BSP is notified about the actual amount of fuel dispensedand that the reservation has been completed. In Step 1222, the local FSrecord updated to reflect the fuel dispensed.

The following is an example in accordance with one or more embodimentsof the invention. The example is not intended to limit the scope of theinvention.

In the example shown in FIGS. 13A-13H, the FNUIM is implemented as asmart phone with a touch screen user interface/display. Referring toFIG. 13A, when the user initiates a fuel reservation application on thesmart phone, by default the application sends an FRR to the BSP based onthe current location of the FNUIM. In response, the FNUIM receives thelist of fuel stations and displays them on the display on a map.

Referring to FIG. 13B, the user may reserve fuel by selecting a fuelstation and then using the slide bar (1300) to select an amount of fuel.When the user selects a particular fuel station, the user may also bepresented with a list of other services (1302) available at the fuelstation and an advertisement (1304). Referring to FIG. 13C, the user ispresented with the information about the selected fuel station, theamount of fuel reserved, the total cost of the reserved fuel, areservation expiration time, and a request for confirmation of the fuelreservation.

Referring to FIGS. 13D and 13E, once the user has confirmed the fuelreservation, the FNUIM displays a map showing directions from thecurrent location of the FNUIM to the selected fuel station. In addition,the user may also review a list of directions to the selected fuelstation.

Referring to FIG. 13F, when the user reaches the fuel station, the usermay be prompted to enter a password for purposes of authenticating theuser. In this example, the display (1306) may be grayed out until theuser is within 1 meter (or another predefined distance) from theselected fuel station. This prevents a user from unlocking the fuelstation until they are in close proximity to the fuel station. Referringto FIG. 13G, once authenticated, the user is presented, via the FNUIM,directions on how to dispense fuel from the fuel station. Referring toFIG. 13H, once the fuel dispensing is complete, the user is presentedwith a summary of the transaction details as shown in FIG. 13H.

Computer readable program code to perform embodiments of the inventionmay be stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium suchas a compact disc (CD), a diskette, a tape, physical memory, or anyother physical computer readable storage medium that includesfunctionality to store computer readable program code to performembodiments of the invention. In one embodiment of the invention thecomputer readable program code, when executed by a processor(s) such asan integrated circuit, central processor unit, or other hardwareprocessor, is configured to perform embodiments of the invention.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited numberof embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of thisdisclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised whichdo not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein.Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by theattached claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer readable medium comprising computerreadable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system toperform a method, the method comprising: receiving a fuel reservationrequest (FRR) from a fuel network user interface module (FNUIM);obtaining a physical location of the FNUIM; determining a userassociated with the FRR; obtaining a list of fuel stations using thephysical location and information associated with the user; sending, toFNUIM, a list of fuel stations; receiving, from the FNUIM, a selectionrequest specifying a fuel station from the list of fuel stations and afuel reservation amount specifying an amount of fuel; sending a backendservice provider (BSP) reservation request to the fuel station, whereinthe BSP reservation request comprises the fuel reservation amount; andsending a confirmation message comprising a reservation expiration timeto the FNUIM.
 2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, whereininformation associated with the user comprises user fueling affiliations(UFA), wherein the UFA specifies a fueling group of which the user is amember, wherein only members of the fueling group can access the fuelstation.
 3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the amountof fuel is reserved for the user at the fuel station until expiration ofthe reservation expiration time.
 4. The computer readable medium ofclaim 1, wherein the fuel is one selected from a group consisting ofhydrogen, compressed natural gas, and electricity.
 5. The computerreadable medium of claim 1, wherein the list of fuel stations comprisesan amount of fuel for reservation at each fuel station on the list offuel stations.
 6. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein thelist of fuel stations further comprises a physical address of each fuelstation on the list of fuel stations and a fuel price for at least onetype of fuel available at each fuel station on the list of fuelstations.
 7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein obtainingthe physical location of the FNUIM comprises extracting the physicallocation from the FRR and wherein determining the user associated withthe FRR comprises extracting a user ID from the FRR.
 8. A fuel networkuser interface module (FNUIM), comprising: a processor; a userinterface; a memory; and software instructions stored in memory, whichwhen executed by the processor, perform a method, the method comprising:generating a fuel reservation request (FRR), wherein the FRR specifies avehicle; sending the FRR to a backend service provider (BSP); receivinga list of fuel stations from the BSP; displaying the list of fuelstations on the user interface; generating a selection requestspecifying a fuel station from the list of fuel stations and a fuelreservation amount specifying an amount of fuel; sending the selectionrequest to the BSP; and receiving, from the BSP, a confirmation messagecomprising a reservation expiration time.
 9. The FNUIM of claim 8,further comprising: a communication interface configured to enablecommunication between the FNUIM and a positioning system, wherein theFRR comprises a user ID and a physical location of the FNUIM, andwherein the physical location is obtained from the positioning system.10. The FNUIM of claim 9, wherein the FNUIM is a smart phone.
 11. TheFNUIM of claim 8, further comprising: a positioning system configured todetermine a physical location of the FNUIM, wherein the FRR comprises auser ID and the physical location of the FNUIM, and wherein the physicallocation is obtained from the positioning system.
 12. The FNUIM of claim8, wherein the FNUIM is integrated into a vehicle.
 13. The FNUIM ofclaim 8, the method further comprising: prior to generating the FRR:obtaining fuel information from a vehicle; and determining, based on thefuel information, to initiate the generation of the FRR.
 14. The FNUIMof claim 13, wherein the fuel information comprises at least oneselected from a group consisting of an amount of fuel remaining in avehicle and a current rate of consumption of the fuel.
 15. The FNUIM ofclaim 8, wherein the fuel is one selected from a group consisting ofhydrogen, compressed natural gas, and electricity.
 16. The FNUIM ofclaim 8, wherein displaying the list of fuel stations on the userinterface comprises displaying a location of each fuel station on thelist of fuel stations on a map using an icon.
 17. The FNUIM of claim 16,wherein a color of the icon is determined based on an amount of fuelavailable at the corresponding fuel station compared to an amount offuel the vehicle is configured to store.
 18. A fuel station comprising:a fuel storage unit configured to store fuel; a fuel output connectionoperatively connected to the fuel storage unit and configured tointerface with a vehicle to enable transfer of the fuel from the fuelstorage unit to the vehicle; a fuel station control module comprising: aprocessor; a memory; and software instructions stored in memory, whichwhen executed by the processor, perform a method, the method comprising:receiving a backend service provider (BSP) reservation request, whereinthe BSP reservation request comprises a user ID, a fuel reservationamount specifying an amount of fuel and a reservation expiration time,wherein the amount of fuel is reserved for a user associated with theuser ID at the fuel station until expiration of the reservationexpiration time; storing, in response to the BSP reservation request, afuel reservation record comprising the user ID, the fuel reservationamount, and the reservation expiration time; prior to expiration of thereservation expiration time: receiving a request to access the fuelstation from the user associated with the user ID; authenticating theuser; obtaining, after successful authentication, the fuel reservationrecord using the user ID; granting access to the fuel output connection;and enabling the user to transfer up to the amount of fuel specified inthe fuel reservation amount to the vehicle using the fuel outputconnection.
 19. The fuel station of claim 18, configured to periodicallysend an update message for the BSP, wherein the update message comprisesan amount of fuel currently stored fuel storage unit.
 20. The fuelstation of claim 18, wherein authenticating the user comprises using atleast one selected from a group consisting of a keypad operativelyconnected to the fuel station, a smart phone, a radio-frequencyidentifier, a smartcard, universal serial bus (USB) token.
 21. The fuelstation of claim 18, wherein granting access to the fuel outputconnection comprising opening the fuel station to access the fuel outputconnection, wherein the fuel output connection comprises a hose.
 22. Thefuel station of claim 18, wherein the fuel station control module isconfigured to communicate with the BSP over at least one selected from agroup consisting of a wired network and a wireless network.